


That Diner Boy

by Riggoo12



Category: Oly, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-13 03:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4506897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riggoo12/pseuds/Riggoo12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Nico Di Angelo meets Will Solace by chance, it is the start of their friendship, and something more. </p><p>But disaster strikes, and Nico has to make the hardest choice of all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

1

Will Solace waved off the latest customer from the diner, and straightened his green apron. He had a matching cap perched on his curly blonde hair, with sneakers and a name tag finishing the picture. 

As he started to wipe down the dirty tables, with another half hour left on his shift, a goth like boy - around his age, walked in. His face was gaunt and sunken, he looked pale and thin.

Will took a few involuntary steps back, before he remembered the diner's policy. "We serve everyone." He muttered under his breath, and straightening his name tag, Will hitched a bright smile onto his face. "Hello, how can I help you?" He asked. The boy didn't answer immediately, instead he took a few deep breaths before whispering a reply.

"Please... help me..." Will's eyes widened, and his smile faltered. "Well, I'm here to help!" He said, trying to make a joke. "What can I get you? Sausage roll? Hot dog? Sandwich? Or a full travel meal for a special discount?" The boy frowned, as if he was trying to make sense of Will's words.

"No... money..." He whispered. Will sighed. "I'm afraid I can't give you anything if you can't pay."

The boy met his eyes. They were a light brown colour, like hot chocolate. Will cast a furtive glance around, then sighed again. "Fine, fine. You don't have to pay, but you'll eat quickly and then leave quickly too." The boy nodded. "Thanks... I'm Nico Di Angelo."

Will shrugged grumpily. He was another five dollar tip away from paying his rent. "Nice to meet you, Nico Di Angelo. I'm Will Solace." He said eventually.

Nico ordered three hot dogs, and knowing the repercussions, Will fixed himself one too. They sat together, and Will talked to Nico. 

Will didn't know why, but he trusted Nico. He looked like he'd been through hell and back, but he had a nice face.

"...and now my landlady wants $100, and I'm like 'I work in a diner, lady, where am I supposed to get $100?"

Nico smiled as Will stared pensively at the coffee machine. "Thank you." He said eventually. Will nodded. "It's okay. You looked like you needed it."

Will suddenly turned to look at Nico, struck by a worry. "Where are you going to go tonight?" Nico shrugged. "I've lived on the road for a while." Will's eyes grew wide. "You're homeless?" Nico shrugged awkwardly. "Right, that settles it." Will said determinedly. "You're coming home with me."

Nico's eyes widened. "No, no. Please. I'll be fine. I don't need you to..." He stuttered. Will waved it off. "Nonsense. You can't come in here and expect me to just let you be homeless. My shift lasts for another," he checked the clock, "ten minutes, but until George gets here, you're staying right where you're sat."

When George arrived, Will hung up his green apron and cap. Nico tried to sidle off, but Will just grabbed his skinny wrist and pulled him along to his car, insisting that he "wouldn't bite" and that Nico was being "plain stupid in trying to be homeless purposely".

"Why are you doing this?" Nico grunted, trying to extricate himself from Will's firm grip, and failing. "Why not? I'm not a creepy pedophile, if that's what you're worried about. Besides, what kind of a person would I be if I just let you be homeless?" Will asked.

Nico smiled slightly. "You're one weird diner boy." Will grinned, and like a chauffeur, opened the car door for Nico, adding in a little bow as he shut it. 

Whilst Will walked around to the drivers side of the car, Nico wondered if Will was his friend already. 

There was a brief silence in the car, until Will started talking. "So, my landlady probably shouldn't know about you staying with me, because she's an assbutt and would probably charge you for just breathing air. Judging how you couldn't pay for a sausage roll, I think keeping you a secret is a good idea."

Nico frowned at Will, forgetting to protest about staying with him. 

"Assbutt?" Nico asked. Will grinned. "One of my more... inspired insults. I literally felt like an angel when I thought of it. As in, I felt it was so clever that I should have been promoted to a Holy Spirit - at least."

Nico didn't really understand, but smiled and nodded anyway. He was starting to realise that Will never backed down, wasn't shy, and talked continuously. Almost the exact opposite of him.

He took advantage of the fact Will's eyes were trained on the road, and got a good look at him. He had sandy blonde hair and good natured sky blue eyes. He was tanned, but had quite a pale face compared to... the rest of him. 

Nico felt a creeping blush as he realised that Will was actually very attractive. Nico had never had a partner, but knew without a doubt he was gay. And strangely enough, on the cold nights on the streets, when Nico had imagined a best friend to be with him, the best friend had looked a little like Will Solace. 

Another thing that Nico was sure of, was that he did not mind having to live with Will - not at all.

Suddenly, Nico realised with a jolt, that he had been staring at Will whilst all these thoughts paraded through his head. And that the car had stopped. And that Will had noticed his staring, and had raised his eyebrows at him. Nico blushed and started stammering nonsense, but Will ignored it.

"I - um - zoned out and - um - maybe I - sorry, um - I - what?" He had asked 'what' because Will was laughing. 

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed, like an angry little hedgehog!" Nico stared at him in confusion. "How am I a hedgehog?"

Will grinned again. "All spiky and pretending to be angry on the outside, but actually very nice deep down." Frankly, Nico was surprised that Will had managed to stand being in a car with him for over ten minutes. 

"Come on, hedgehog." Will said. "Lets go inside." Will clambered out, and Nico quickly followed suit.

As Will slotted his key into the front door, he gestured to Nico to be quiet. "Mrs G?" He shouted. There was no reply. "Okay, I think she's gone home for today. You can come in now." Will informed Nico, and switched on the hall light. 

Nico walked up a flight of stairs, and heard Will's light footsteps behind him.

"Right through there." Will strode into a room, and spun around. "What do you think?"


	2. 2

2

Nico smiled slightly. "It's good." Will looked like he was about to say something, then thought better and turned away from Nico. "I'm taking it that you haven't had too many comfy nights. You sleep in my bed, I'll take the spare mattress." Nico was overcome by emotion, and only stared at Will gratefully.

He had been given a meal, free of charge, taken to a safe, warm place by a kind person, and now had been gifted with a warm, soft bed. It was more luxury than he had ever had, after his parents had drowned on a sinking ferry, and his sister had died making sure Nico didn't follow in their footsteps.

After that, Nico was presumed dead, and he had taken to the streets at the mere age of six. Ten years later, he was only alive because of an old woman who usually offered him $15 every five days.

And by walking into a diner, just to beg for some food, he had been taken in by Will Solace.

Nico knew this was the start of hopeless devotion. He had experienced it once, with his sister Bianca, so the feeling was vaguely familiar. 

Will had tactfully left the room to find the spare mattress, and clean his bedroom. As he remade the bed, he decided to go ahead and call Nico a friend.

Both Will and Nico had a good nights sleep.

In the morning, Will was woken by his alarm, and wondered why he was on the floor. Then he remembered bringing Nico into his house.

Dressed in only his baggy nightshirt, Will stuck his head around his bedroom door. Nico was crashed out in the bed, and Will couldn't help noticing that his usually harsh expression was peaceful and relaxed. It changed the way his face looked. Will thought it looked nicer.

Nico woke up to the smell of burning toast. It took him a minute to remember where he was, but then, for fear that the house was going to burn down, he sprinted out of the room and smashed into Will Solace as he rushed to fix the damage. 

They collapsed on top of each other, and Nico blushed as he saw that Will was only wearing a shirt that barely covered his waist. Then he lost sight of everything as his face smashed into the ground. 

Nico had his head pushed into the carpet, and his legs trapped under Will, whereas Will's arms were pinned down by Nico. It took them longer to separate than it should have, because Will kept falling back into spasming laughter.

Eventually, Nico managed to crawl away, and sat on his knees for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Will, on the other hand, was on all fours, still gasping with mirth. 

"You'd be crap at twister." Will eventually said. "Like you were any better." Nico replied ruthlessly, then hesitated, unsure if he was allowed to be rude to his host. The smell of burning increased.

Will swore. "Shit. Toast." Together, Nico and Will ran into the kitchen, where four black lumps of charred bread were wedged in the toaster. Will set about rescuing the unfortunate slices, whilst Nico opened all of the windows to let the smell out. 

After Will had cut some more bread and toasted them with a watchful eye, he invited Nico to sit at the table with him. "Eat the toast." He directed. Nico stared at him. "Why?" Will's mouth fell open. "Breakfast. Keeps you alive, Hedgehog." Nico remembered a faint memory of having breakfast. He hadn't been able to afford any after losing his home.

After eating two slices of toast, Nico decided he liked breakfast. 

Nico was about to go and treat himself to a shower, which Will had offered him, when they heard shuffling footsteps coming up the stairs. "Quick! In the bedroom! She never goes in there!" Will hissed at Nico, and shoved Nico's plate in the dishwasher.

There was a knock at the door. "William Solace, what is the lords name is that awful smell?" Will hurried over to it, hitched on his 'tricky customer in the diner' smile, and opened the door. "Mrs G, this really isn't a good time. I'm getting dressed. Please come back in half an hour or so when I am adequately awake. Also kindly refrain from calling me William - it's not my name." With that, he slammed the door in her face and leant against it, as if a shrewd old woman could ram it open.

Nico's face poked around the door. Will gave him a thumbs up, but then put a finger to his lips.

A few minutes later, they could hear Mrs G bustling about downstairs. Nico and Will talked with low voices.

"We won't be able to leave the house all day." Nico sighed. Will shook his head. "There are other ways out of the house." Nico looked at him doubtfully. 

"Really? What good way out of an apartment can you think of?"

Will grinned. "Well, Hedgehog, I guess that we'll have to go out the window to avoid Mrs G." Nico's eyes widened. "You're kidding." A mad gleam in Will's eyes told him otherwise.

Will decided that he would go first, to test it was safe. "That makes no sense! If you break your neck, then -" Will put his hand over Nico's mouth. "Tiny, tiny little details." He said reassuringly. "Your life?" Nico asked, his voice muffled by Will's hand. Will ignored him. 

As Will climbed out of the window and dropped onto the floor, Nico refrained from covering his eyes.

A loud swear word made Nico look. "What happened?" He called down.

"My ankle!" Will shouted back. Nico's eyes widened. "Are you okay?" Will shrugged. "I think I need bandages!" Nico jumped out of the window without a second thought and landed next to him. "...or the kiss of life." Will conceded.

Nico froze. "What?" Will smirked at him. "I think you heard." Nico's mouth fell open. "What - but - huh - what?" Will rolled his eyes dramatically. "I, Will Solace, really, really, really like Nico Di Angelo, and think that Hedgehog is a very cute and suitable nickname for you." Nico's mouth was still open.

"Oh." Will's smile faded. "You've... got a problem with me being gay, and now you want to leave." He guessed. Nico shook his head. "No... it's just... I thought you'd have a girlfriend." Will's standard smile returned. "Oh, I'm that good looking, am I?" Nico nodded.

\-----

Sorry, bit of a shorter chapter this time. I think I'll do a few more chapters today and tomorrow! Please comment and kudos!

Also, about my other story, The Hunters. I'm going to try and update that as soon as I can, but it is going to be very irregular and probably not that often. I'll keep trying to though, so keep checking for new chapters!

~ Sophie R :)


	3. 3

3

To Nico, the world looked different when you had money in your pocket. Instead of colourful shop banners that marked places as off limits, they became an invitation, a possibility.

Will had to hold Nico back from spending all his rent savings, and instead gave him $40 that he could use as he wanted. Nico was used to surviving off $15 per five days, and $40 seemed like an insurmountable load of money.

When Will smiled at him encouragingly, Nico decided that he didn't care, and that this entire scenario was ridiculous.

He had literally got a crush in about one night, got them both to admit that they were gay, and openly flirted. Now he was spending Will's money.

It seemed a lifetime ago that Nico had walked into the diner, starving, unable to string a sentence together. All in all, Nico thought it was almost like one of those stories where the endings are always ridiculous and stupid.

But he knew they could happen now.

Before Nico knew it, Will was telling him that he had to go to work. "What work?" Nico asked stupidly. Will raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh right, yeah. The diner." Nico realised.

Will dropped Nico off at his apartment, and after checking Mrs G was out, let him in.

"I'll be four hours. You know how to use the T.V? Good. Have fun." Will smiled at Nico, moved forwards and ruffled his hair. "Hedgehog." He muttered, then rushed down the stairs and to his car. 

Nico watched him unlock it, open a door and get in. He heard the car door slam and the engine rev. Then the street was quieter. "That diner boy." Nico muttered, and settled down on the couch to watch some T.V.

Whilst Will was driving to the diner, he thought about Nico, and tried to sift through what he knew for certain, and what he didn't, getting more and more complex as he did so. 

His name is Nico Di Angelo. He is living with me. I have known him for a short time. We are both gay. I think he is cute and adorable. I don't know whether I love him or not. I think he loves me. I want him to love me. I want to love him.

All the way through his shift, Will moved automatically, like a puppet being jerked around by a puppeteer.

It was quite an empty shift, but suddenly the diner filled with noise. "Solace!" Will span around, only to come face to face with his boss. "Why did George tell me that four hot dogs were missing, and that none of them were payed for?" Will thought quickly. "A friend of mine came in. You can take the payment from my wages."

After his boss had left, Will sat on a plastic seat and groaned. He was so far away from paying his rent, he might as well have started from scratch! Why had he given Nico those $40 spending money? Will realised the answer with a jolt.

Because he loved him. 

Nico was bored. He had been watching T.V. for about two hours, and had realised Will would only be halfway through his shift. 

A knock on the door made him jump. It would be the landlady, Mrs G. Nico left the T.V. on, because she would know someone was in the apartment if it was suddenly turned off. He ran as quietly as he could into the bedroom, and hid underneath the bed.

"William! Are you out at the diner again? William!" There was an audible sigh, and then she grunted, "left the T.V. on, no doubt." The feet shuffled off, and Nico relaxed under the bed. He still wasn't going to risk getting out, and was right to stay where he was. 

Mrs G shuffled back up to the door, and with a clink, Nico realised she would have the spare key. The shuffling feet came closer, and then the noise of the T.V. shut off.

Nico suddenly realised that he needed to sneeze. Such bad timing, he thought, and then pinched his nose. The need to sneeze grew, and Nico felt his eyes starting to water. He gave a tiny, tiny snort, and breathed out. That could have been a disaster.

Mrs G's next words struck terror into Nico's heart. 

"William! Are you there?" The shuffling footsteps came right up to Will's bedroom door. Nico heard the handle creak as she opened it slowly.

When George came to relieve Will of his shift, Will nearly sprinted to get to his car. His speed meter didn't drop below fifty the entire way home.

Will arrived back home and ran up the stairs two at a time. He unlocked his door, and found the T.V. off. The house was silent. Will received a strange sense of foreboding, like when you come back to your house after a holiday and it's all dark and cold.

"Nico?" Will called out quietly, aware that Mrs G could be lurking anywhere. There was no reply. "Nico?" Will started to panic. He thoroughly checked all of the rooms in his apartment, even under the bed, before concluding that Nico was not in the building.

He sat at the table, pondering what he should do. A loud knock at the door made Will jump. "William?" It was Mrs G. "Uh, yes?" He asked, opening the door a crack. "I just thought you should   
know that I found a boy hiding under your bed, and was carting him to the police station when he jumped out of the car and ran for it."

Will flung open the door, his eyes wild. "Where? Where did he jump out?" Mrs G frowned. "Somewhere around... lets see... near the shopping centre." Will nodded distractedly. "Thanks, Mrs G, you've been a great help. I'll make sure I've paid you by next week!" Mrs G humphed, but Will was already down the stairs.

Nico was terrified. The landlady had taken him a hairs breadth from the police station, and she had probably filed a report against him.

He weaved through the streets, and hurriedly passed another homeless man brandishing a knife and muttering to himself. The homeless people in these parts were unpredictable, and wouldn't think twice about murder.

He stopped on a doorstep not to close the knife man, but not completely away from him either. The police would avoid him, and therefore overlook Nico. 

Nico wondered what Will was up to, as he huddled down on the cold stone to try and preserve some warmth.

Will drove furiously, and when he reached the shopping centre, he didn't even park properly. He sprinted out of the parking lot and started to ask people if they had seen a "tall, pale boy with long black hair". No one had. 

Eventually, Will spotted an alleyway where a dark shadow hunched in a door. Praying it was Nico, Will started towards him, but was intercepted by a man with matted hair and wild eyes.

Grime filled the lines around his face, and he had a torn coat. "You... over... fountain..." He grunted at Will, his pupils dilated. "What? I don't understand!" Will replied, panicking when he saw the knife in his hand. Quickly, Will jerked his wrist from the man, and ran down the alleyway. 

About halfway towards the door, Will realised it was Nico.

"Nico! Oh my... what the hell have you been doing?" Nico's pale white face jerked up. "I... how did you..." He stuttered. Will helped him up from the ground. "I was so worried about you!"

Nico and Will gazed at each other for a moment.

Looking back on it, Will was unsure who started the kiss. They probably had both leant in at the same time.

Nico and Will kissed for what felt like hours, and when they broke apart, they both gasped for breath.

Before Nico could say anything, Will pressed his mouth firmly against the other boy's, and didn't pull away for a long time. 

\-----

So I guess you could say that the story is really going to kick off next chapter, along with their relationship!

Put your hands in the air if you ship Solangelo! Wooooo!!

~ Sophie R :)


	4. Chapter 4

4

Obviously, Nico stayed with Will. The next morning, he was woken up by 'walking on sunshine' being blasted out of the sound system. "What the hell are you doing, Will?" He shouted above the noise. "Celebrating Saturday!" Will yelled back, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Nico followed him, and was rewarded by toast being brandished at him like a weapon. "Eat, Hedgehog!" Will slid a chair across the floor and plunked his butt on it. 

"What ya wanna do today, Hedgehog?" Will asked. "I don't know," Nico replied. Will smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." Nico frowned. "Why?" The reply sent shivers of excitement down his spine.

"Because I've had the best idea and I want to do it today."

Will stopped off at a shop called 'All Weathers' and came back with a bulging bag, which he wouldn't let Nico look into. "It's a surprise." He grinned, and kissed Nico again. Even the sense of approaching doom didn't dull Nico's happiness. 

Nico finally realise what Will had planned when he parked near an outside skating rink.

They had driven all day, and it was getting dark. But not too dark.

Will chucked him a woolly hat, scarf and gloves, and equipped himself too.

Nico grinned at himself in the rear-view mirror. He looked stupid.

"You ever been skating before?" Will asked. Nico shook his head. Will was probably a master at it. "Me neither," Will smiled, and together they climbed out of the car.

Nico stepped onto the ice, confident. This looked easy.

He fell over instantly. Will landed on top of him. "You're heavy, did anyone tell you?" Nico asked. Will pretended to ponder, still sitting on Nico's back. "I think not." 

They slid around the outside of the rink, holding onto the sides for support. When Nico fell over whilst holding onto it, they both gave up.

"Hey, it's easier like this!" Nico declared, his legs sticking out in front of him, and his hands propelling him forwards. Will promptly sat down to try it as well. Together, they slid around on their butts, laughing like little children.

Eventually, the ice rink emptied until they were the only ones there. Nico and Will came to a stop, and held hands. 

"This was so much fun." Nico said. "Well, they don't call me the fun-maker for nothing." Will replied.

"The fun-maker?"  
"Yeah, that's a crap name. Forget I ever said that."

Nico gazed at Will, who was looking into the distant lands of the ice rink wall. For the first time, he didn't blush when Will caught him staring.

Instead, he leant towards him.

Nico could see the snow flecking his blonde eyelashes. 

He could feel his warm breath on his cold lips.

He could feel Will's mouth pressed against his.

When they broke apart, and not after a short time, Nico was breathless. Will took out his camera and quickly took a picture of them both. "I'll have it printed out into that... shiny thingy." He declared proudly. 

"It's called a photo." Nico replied blandly, trying to hide his smile. "That's what I said. Photo." Will said quickly, his lips twitching.

"Shiny thingy." Nico mocked. "I forgot what it was called!" Will defended himself.

The two boys sat in silence for a moment. Then, at exactly the same time, they both jumped up. "Ugh, my butt is frozen!" Will exclaimed. "Mine feels wet. Is my butt wet?" Nico asked, and presented his behind to Will.

Will examined it for probably longer than necessary, then declared it sound by slapping it. Nico felt a blush coming on, but banished it. He was with Will. His friend. His boyfriend.

He didn't need to be worried about anything anymore.

And as they walked away, back to the car, Will put his arm around Nico. Nico leant up and kissed him.

After all those years. All those long, long years.

He was finally with the one person who made him feel safe. 

And that made his heart burst, because that was what he had prayed for in those years.

Someone to make him feel safe.


	5. Chapter 5

5

The next day, Will was due for work. He woke up on the couch with Nico, vaguely remembering getting home early and watching T.V. until they fell asleep, knotted in each others limbs.

He couldn't help but wake Nico as he stood up. "Sorry, Hedgehog," Will apologised. "But it's time for my work."

The second those words escaped his lips, Will met Nico's eyes. Those soft brown puppy eyes.

Those eyes that would make him do anything.

Those eyes.

Will knew what he was going to say a few seconds before he said it. 

"You know what? Screw work!" Those eyes widened. "Huh?" Nico asked stupidly.

Will supposed that although Nico looked like an angel, even he had his stupid moments. "I'll get fired, who cares? Come on, I'm taking you out to dinner."

Nico jumped off the couch. "You're serious? But what about your work? I thought you were -" Will stopped his words with a kiss. He meant it to be a brief kiss, just one to make Nico shut up.

But one of them deepened it, and they both fell back down onto the couch. "I love you." Nico mumbled against his lips. "I love you too, Hedgehog." Will muttered.

After their intense make-out session, Will and Nico went out of the house. "Where are we going?" Nico asked. "I know a certain place." Will answered mysteriously, tapping his nose.

As Will drove, Nico became aware of the fact that he knew the route they were traveling in. 

He wracked his brains, trying to remember why he had been here before. 

Then he realised that it was the route Mrs G had driven him to the police station. He stared out of the window, upset by the memory, but then his eyes landed on an alleyway. A filthy man seemed to guard it, a dirty knife just   
visible amongst his tattered blankets. 

Nico remembered it was where he had kissed Will, and his heart grew lighter.

Will stopped the car outside a restaurant. "Tom and George's Pizza Place? Doesn't sound very Italian." Nico commented.

"Shut up. It's really good." Will snapped playfully.

They sat down in a secluded window seat, gazing out at the street. "You know, you should've gone to work." Nico said quietly.

Will shrugged and lied through his teeth. "I was thinking about changing jobs." 

Nico raised his eyebrows. "What to?" Will pondered thoughtfully. "I was thinking something along the lines of a male prostitute." 

Nico choked on a slice of pizza, and Will disappeared from view as he slid under the table. Nico started to panic. "Will, are you okay?" He asked hesitantly. 

"I'm laughing, you dickhead." Will surfaced from under the table. "Oh! I thought you were... you know... dying." Will glared at him.

After they had eaten, Will realised they had both had too much wine to drive. "Oh well, we'll walk. It's not too far." He said. 

They crossed the road, and Will started to talk. The night was drawing in, like curtains signalling the end of a play.

"-anyway, so then I said to him: why would I need a beer? And he said -" Will broke off laughing when he saw Nico's hysterical expression.

"And he said: for your feet!" Will finished, and they both stood still to laugh continuously. Will propped himself up on a trash can, whereas Nico slid down a wall in hysterics.

A man approached Nico. "Give me your money, or I'll kill you!" He shouted. Nico recognised the knife man. 

"I don't have any." Nico said slowly and plainly. "You do! You was in the pizza place just now!" 

Will placed a hand on the mans arm. "Look, I'll give you the money, alright, just put the knife down." The man jerked his hand away, knife flashing in the light given off from the street lamps.

"No! They want to kill me! Give me your money!" Spittle flew into Will's face.

Time slowed down. 

Nico saw the knife flick, as if in slow motion, and move forwards. Will was focused on the man, and didn't see the blade until it was plunged into his chest. 

\-----

Sorry for not updating, my browser was broken!

Written rest of the story, just going to publish it now.

~ Sophie :)


	6. Chapter 6

6

Will's breath came in short, jagged gasps. Blood was streaming out of his wound freely, despite Nico's coat being pressed against it. "Hang on. Help's coming." Nico whispered to him, as he fumbled in his pocket for his phone. 

Nico's hands shook as he dialled in 911, and begged for help to come quickly.

The knife man had disappeared, but Nico hardly noticed his absence. Will's colour was draining rapidly, and Nico looked wildly around for anyone to help. Most people in the street had gone home, and Nico didn't dare leave Will to go and get a shopkeeper.

"Nico..." Will's voice was barely audible. "Be quiet, Will. Don't strain yourself." Nico whispered back, still pushing on Will's wound. "No... Hedgehog..." Will replied earnestly. He tried to sit up, but flopped back onto the gravelly floor.

"Will, don't go. Stay with me." Nico didn't realise he was saying his thoughts aloud until Will murmured, "I love you, Hedgehog. I'm not going anywhere."

That bought tears to Nico's eyes. Will's healthy complexion had faded completely, and he was reassuring him that he wasn't going to die.

"You can't. Can't." Nico couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence with the word 'die'.

"I won't... I... promise..." Will's voice got fainter and fainter, and Nico pulled his boyfriend closer.

Where were the ambulance crew? Where the bloody hell were they? They should be here? Bloody hell, Will needed help!

"Diner Boy." Nico mumbled. "Huh?" Will whispered, blood still seeping out from his raw and ugly wound. "That's what I used to call you. Still do, in fact." Nico admitted.

"Diner Boy..." Will repeated. "Hedgehog... I love you." 

Nico pressed his lips to Will's forehead. It was so cold.

"Can you hear that, Diner Boy? The ambulance is coming." Will didn't reply, and Nico pulled him closer to him.

"Here they are. You're going to be okay now, Will." 

Will still didn't reply. And suddenly Nico knew.

He knew.

"No!" Nico pressed his fingers to Will's neck. "Will! No!" He groped for a pulse, but found none. 

"Will! Will!" Tears were falling freely down Nico's face.

This couldn't have happened.

This couldn't have.

Nico swore, as he held Will's dead body, that he would never love a single person ever again.

Nico realised, as the ambulance crew crowded around him, that he was broken. It took him so long to become loyal, too long, but he broke too easily.

When his family had died, Nico knew pain. It was all he ever felt. It had taken years to fade, and now it was back, sharper than ever before.

Was he cursed?

How could he have done this to Will?

The moment he walked into the diner, Will had been doomed to death.

Because that was what happened to people Nico loved.

They died, and left Nico alone.

Nico became aware that someone was trying to pull him off Will. "No! No! NO! Get off! Leave! It's my fault!" He screamed. A woman put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, I know it's hard -" Nico cut her off. 

"You don't know!" He snarled. "You don't know me, or death! I'm cursed! Get off me!"

The woman backed off, and Nico saw a man shake his head at her, and stand up after closing Will's eyes. 

"Come on, son." He said to Nico. "No! Will! Come back! Please! Don't leave me!" Nico screamed. Another man lifted Will's body off the floor and carried it into the van. 

And like that, Nico knew that he would never see his boyfriend again.

He ran.

Nico ran and ran, navigating his way at random.

Will.

Will was -

Will was dead.

\-----

Sorry!

~ Sophie :(


	7. Chapter 7

7

Nico collapsed in a back alley, breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He was in shock.

Nico convulsed wildly against a wall. His thoughts were becoming jumbled and faint. Will. Where was Will? They had been at his diner, eating pizza...

His already confused thoughts twisted into horrific images.

The pizza turned into blood, and spread over Will, covering his entire body, and his eyes and then Will was swallowed by the lake of blood.

No.

That's not what had happened.

Will was dead.

He died in your arms, Nico, and you couldn't save him.

You never could. The minute you saw him, it was only a matter of time before he died. Because that's what happens to people you love, Nico. They die. 

Nico stood up unsteadily, his skinny frame shaking. Where could he go?

Not back to Will's apartment, too many memories.

It would have to be the streets.

\-----

Short chapter, next one will be longer. 

~ Sophie :)


	8. Chapter 8

8

Will died two weeks ago. That one sentence pounded in Nico's skull, not giving him a moment of rest.

He was seeing Will everywhere, the back of his head in the street, his heavy tread behind him. 

But now it wasn't just Will. The fresh pain had raised other memories. His mother, father and sister all joined Will, reminding Nico that their bodies were unrecovered, festering on the sea bed.

Reminding Nico that he was always, always, alone. 

He couldn't take it.

His nails were bitten down to their beds. His hair was matted, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. Bones aching, veins showing clearly through his skin. It occurred to Nico that he hadn't eaten for days. It didn't seem important, considering that Will was gone.

The constant pain. Death would be a gift.

Nico's thoughts moved sluggishly. Death would be a gift. Will died two weeks ago. They merged together. Death would be two weeks ago. Will would be a gift. 

Will would be a gift. 

Nico turned his head slowly, and saw a piece of paper fluttering in the breeze. Paper.

Since he had been sleeping rough again, paper had become a blessing that he could not afford.

Nico crawled towards it, his bones aching from being pressed against a brick wall for so long. His dirty fingers grasped it, leaving a smudged black fingerprint on the clean, yet slightly ripped, paper.

Nico shuffled back to his wall, and pulled the remnants of a pencil out of it. He had picked it up in Will's house.

Will.

For a moment, Nico say there, taking deep breaths, unable to move. 

Then he started writing on the paper.

After he had finished, Nico read it over.

"Today is the 3rd of December, and my boyfriend died two weeks ago. My mother, father and sister are all dead. I am alone.

"I cannot move without triggering physical or mental pain. So this is the second-last effort that I will ever make to do something. My boyfriend. My sister. My mother. My father. All dead.

Will.  
Bianca.  
Maria.  
Harry.

Don't let their names go unsaid. Don't let them have died in vain.

There is one more name that needs to be added to my list. My name.

Nico Di Angelo."

On the back of the paper, Nico thought out each word carefully.

"He knows with every drawn breath,  
That he is closer to his death,  
And he chooses not fight it,  
Inside of him a candle is lit,  
For nothing is left of his life,  
Taken by his half buried knife,  
And he goes to death with a leap,  
And then settles down to sleep."

Nico stood up, and tucked the paper in his pocket.

It was obvious what he had to do in order to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Last Chapter

9

Mrs G had just read the letter announcing Will's death.

Despite her angry manner, she had cared for him, her own son being estranged from her. What about that other boy?

Will had thought she was hard of hearing, but even a blind old cow could have noticed his boyfriend living with him.

The least she could do for him is to make sure he was alright.

Mrs G walked to her car, and drove for three hours around all the backstreets she could think of.

Eventually, she thought of Knockers Road, and decided to try there.

It was a ten minutes drive away, even though Mrs G drove furiously.

The longer she drove for, she realised that Will's boyfriend had been alone for two weeks. The letter had pretty much said so. If the loss of her son's contact felt half as bad as Nico's - was that it? - pain, then she was pretty sure that he was going to do something drastic.

She had overheard one of their conversations once. Nico had told Will what had happened when his family had drowned.

Renewed pain. Nico seemed a gentle boy, and Mrs G knew that he might not manage alone for much longer. 

In six minutes, Mrs G had managed to convince herself that not only was Nico 'living' in Knockers Road, he was about to do something drastic.

She was not wrong.

Nico slowly walked to the Knockers Bridge. It was a two minute walk away from where he had been sleeping, but his unpractised muscles complained with every step.

Mrs G pulled over on the road and leapt out of the car. "Have you seen a boy, about this tall, sleeping here for the last two weeks?" She shouted at two boys smoking and leaning against a wall.

"Uh, there was one here, but he wrote something down on paper and took off." The taller boy informed her.

"Which way?" Mrs G's voice was sharp. "Was it towards Knockers Bridge?" The second boy nodded confirmation.

Mrs G's heart pounded, and she sprinted after Nico, reliving the moment when she took him to the police.

How could she have done that to him?

Nico stood up on the wall of the bridge. No one was there. He was alone.

Always alone. 

"I love you, Diner Boy." Nico whispered, before pulling the paper out of his pocket.

"Stop! Nico!" Mrs G's voice cracked out through the still air.

Nico stepped down from the side, and passed her the paper. "I love him, Mrs G," he said. "I can't do this any more." 

Tears started falling out of his eyes. "He'll be there. I know he will." He whispered. "And my family. Please Mrs G, you have to let me do this." Mrs G grabbed his arm. "Not a chance."

Nico's eyes widened. "I have to see them again!" He cried. Mrs G shook her head, and waved his paper at him. "No way! I'm not letting you kill yourself!" Nico and Will's landlady realised what was going to happen at exactly the same moment. "Get that paper showed to the right people." Nico whispered, and then wrenched his arm out of her grip.

Mrs G lunged for him, but Nico was too quick. 

He jumped up onto the bridge side for the second time.

Nico's body felt leaden with pain. Will was dead. Gone. Forever. His murderer would be far away from New York by now. The boy he loved was gone.

Nico felt the salty tears trace a track down his cheek. "I love you, Diner Boy," Nico whispered, and stepped forwards off the bridge.

There was a brief sensation of falling, and Nico knew that he would soon be with Will. Then, a searing pain, but nothing compared with the loss he had felt when Will passed away in his arms.

It was all over.

Nico walked slowly down the dusty path. Why was he here? He couldn't remember. "Will?" He whispered. His boyfriend's figure stood tall and straight, smiling at Nico, free of the blood from his chest wound.

"What took you so long?" Will asked. Nico felt happy, happier than he had ever felt.

With that, he grabbed Will's hand, and they moved through the gates of the Elysium.

Together.


End file.
